Mississippi State Football’s Forbes Garners Freshman All-American Honors
Published 7:00 am Friday, January 1, 2021
STARKVILLE – For the second time this postseason, a true freshman on the Mississippi State football roster has earned Freshman All-American honors, as 247Sports has tabbedEmmanuel Forbes as one of five defensive backs on its True Freshman All-America team.
Forbes joins Jaden Walley as rookies to earn postseason honors in 2020, after Walley was a second-team Freshman All-American per The Athletic last week. It marks the first time in program history that multiple MSU freshmen have earned Freshman All-American accolades in the same season.
Forbes joins Martin Emerson as the last two Bulldogs to earn rookie All-American distinction at defensive back and his selection gives MSU seven total since 2012. That list includes four current student-athletes: Forbes, Walley, Emerson and Jace Christmann (2016), along with Leo Lewis (2016) and NFL All-Pro selections Benardrick McKinney (2012) and Chris Jones (2013).
The Grenada, Mississippi, native finished the regular season ranked No. 6 among FBS true freshmen cornerbacks in coverage grade (67.0) and No. 5 nationally in interceptions (4). His four interceptions are tied for the most in the SEC. He is one of eight true freshmen nationally with multiple interceptions on the season and is tied for the most interceptions by a true freshman in 2020.
The first MSU defender with two interceptions in a game since Mark McLaurin (3; vs. Louisville) in 2017, Forbes picked off Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak twice in the regular season finale, returning one 29 yards for a touchdown. He also picked off Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond and raced 60 yards for a score. Forbes is the first MSU defender with multiple interception returns for a touchdown since Corey Broomfield (2) in 2009.
For the season, Forbes finished with 41 tackles, four interceptions, six pass breakups and 0.5 tackles for loss. He piled up a season-best eight stops against Auburn and totaled seven tackles versus Missouri to close out the SEC schedule. His 617 defensive snaps played rank No. 6 nationally among true freshmen defenders.
